P/N/Si-rich and flexible coating imparting polypropylene excellent flame retardancy without compromising its inherent mechanical properties

In general, the addition of flame retardants may lead to the degradation of the mechanical properties of polymers, despite enhancing their flame retardancy. However, flame-retardant coatings have the potential to provide good flame resistance to polymers without compromising their inherent mechanical properties. In this study, we applied highly adhesive and flexible polysiloxane flame-retardant coatings (196 μm) to polypropylene, resulting in reductions of 74.9 %, 58.0 %, 80.0 %, and 56.4 % in peak heat release rate, peak smoke production rate, fire growth rate, and mass loss, respectively. By incorporating the lab-synthesized DOPO-modified polysiloxane (APID), the flame-retardant efficiency of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was greatly enhanced. The primary film-forming agent, (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), played a key role in maintaining the compatibility of APP and APID with the coating, as well as facilitating the formation of a robust SiOSi crosslinked network structure that strengthened the resulting char layer. The interactivity between the various components, including hydrogen bonds and crosslinked network structures, contributed to improved uniformity, thermal stability, and adhesion of the coatings. Moreover, the coatings exhibited resistance to ultraviolet radiation and water. Our findings suggest that highly flexible and adhesive flame-retardant coatings hold significant potential for applications in polymer protection. These promising results provide a viable pathway for improving the fire protection of polymers through the use of high-adhesive intumescent flame-retardant coatings.